Training Log Archive: Thraws

Took the tent down in light rain then drove along the loch to near Longrigg. I followed the miners path to Meall an t-Slugain then picked a way through the bogs to the slopes of Beinn Resipol. The hill itself was pleasantly grassy and the ascent quite a joy as the views expanded with height. The summit ridge came quite quickly but had then to be followed for almost half an hour. It was unbelievably cold in the wind and a dusting of snow lay on the grass and rocks. The descent was as delightful as the climb up and back at the car the sun was shining and warm. I drove round Loch Eil, with great, and unanticipated, views of Bidean and the Ben, to Fort William. The Lochaber Marathon was in progress. I restocked then drove up the Great Glen and down Glen Shiel to Morvich. Thankfully, the caravan site was still accommodating campers. I was grateful for the heated toilet block as it had turned extremely cold.

The car had more work to do than me today, climbing the 1 in 4 bends to 350 metres then dropping steeply to Loch Doilet. I couldn't believe that the handful of settlements here actually seemed to have refuse collections. I walked through Glenhurich and up onto the ridge of Beinn Mheadhoin which was simply followed through several minor complications to the summit of Carn na Nathrach (hill of the adders!) There was cloud near the top and the weather was much worse, but the rain mostly stayed off. This area is quite heavily forested and there was evidence of quite a lot of work going on, but today was Saturday. Simply reversed route down.

There was already a car parked when I pulled up near the bridge and two more soon joined us. This is a dramatic hill and so more attractive. I went straight up the Sron a'Gharbh Choire Bhig where traces of path link routes through the crags and over one false summit after another. There were great views of the cliffs from the subsidiary top and I could hear and see the owner of the first car on the final pull. I reached the top just after him and, I think, surprised him. He told me snow was forecast so I decided to make the most of the sun and complete the circuit of the corrie. The man on the top told me the two hills were grahams but I'm not actually sure what they are; he was simply reversing the ascent. The drop to the col was enormous and not that easy to find, but the first climb on the far side not too bad. There was plenty more up and down, though, and Beinn Bheag and Sgorr Mhic Eacharna certainly lived up to their billing. Great views of the tremendous cliffs on the face of the corbett.

Walked through the simply beautiful Ariundle oakwoods and past the old mines before climbing the Druim Leac a'Sgiathain to the fairly prominent Sgurr Dhomhnuill. This is at the heart of a wild and unvisited area with no munros but many corbetts. Great views north to the Glenfinnan Hills (especially Streap and Gulvain, where I spent the night once) and east to Glen Coe and Ben Nevis. I then traversed the outlier Sgurr na h-Ighinn before dropping and climbing again, over Sgurr a'Chaorainn, to the very slightly higher top at Beinn na h-Uamha. Seriously, how many visits does this hill get? I retraced to the col then contoured and finally dropped down to the Strontian Glen under the impressive Garbh Bheinn (tomorrow's hill). The going here was hard and I was glad to get back onto the paths inside the oakwoods.

There was no boat on the Tuesday so I walked to the edge of the peninsula at Airor then along the coast to Inverguseran. I had a wet river crossing here then walked back over the Mam Uidhe to the vilage and the tent on the beach. On Wednesday I got the morning boat back to the car in Mallaig then drove in beautiful weather through Moidart and Acharacle to Strontian in Ardgour. I was so grateful for a hot shower as I hadn't had as much as a wash in Knoydart.

Crossed the bridge at Kilchoan and went straight up Beinn Buidhe via Coire nan Gobhar. There was more haze today but real warmth in the sun and I could doze on the grass at the summit with the thinnest of t-shirts on. I love places like this. I could look at hill tops I had visited before in poor weather and identify the one or two I still hadn't climbed. Completed the rest of the ridge and returned via Mam Meadail and yesterday evening's route.